Machine for and method of making paper clips



Dec. 27, 1927.

G. F. GRIFFITHS.

MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF MAKING PAPER CLIPS 24 sheets-snee: 1

Filed Aug. 5. 1,925

IIIIIIIIIIIIJIIII l l I l/Gll ATTORNEY Dec. 27, 1927. l

G. F. GRIFFITHS MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF MAKING PAPER CLIPS Filed Aug. s, 1923 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 `A TTORNEY.

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Patented Dec. 27, 1927.

UNITED STATES GEORGE r. GRIFFITHS, or MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK.

MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF MAKING PAPER CLIPS.

Application led August 3, 1923. Serial No. 655,435.

My invention relates to machines for the manufacture of paper clips of wire, in whichthe opposite sides are notched, and also to the method employed in such manufacture.

The general Object Of the invention is to provide a machine of the character indicated comprising new and novel means whereby a wire adapted for use in the manufacture Of paper clips may he introduced into the said machine and notched and formed into a clip of the character desired in what may be described as a continuous and single operation.`

A further Object is to provide a new and novel attachment for machines adapted for the manufacture of paper clips of wire whereby, previous to the cutting 0f the wire into sections of the proper 4length to form the clips, and previous to the formation thereof, the saidwire is notched upon its opposite sides so that after the said clip has been formed the notches are in such position thereon that when the clips are placed in engagement with paper or sheets of other character the roughened sides thereof contact with the adjacent surfaces of top and bottom sheets.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved method for the manufacture of clips, commonly known as paper clips, of wire in which the opposite outer sides of the wire of the clips are provided with notches or other forms of interruptions upon the surface whereby the elliciency of the clip as a holding means is increased.

Other objects and advantages of the inf` vention will be pointed out in the detailed description thereof which follows or will be appa-rent from such description.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood and its practical advantages fully appreciated, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which one form of machine and attachment therefor is shown, but it will be understood that changes may be made in the details of construction within the scope of the claims without departing from the said invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a view partly in top plan and partly in horizontal section showing certain essential portions of the structure and also showing a new and novel device attached thereto whereby the wire employed for the manufacture of the said clips may be :notched previous clips; i

Fig. 2 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section of the machine shownin Fig. l;

to the formation of said Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of a new and novel device for notching a wire adapted to be employed in the manufacture of paper clips, the said device being adapted to be attached to a paper clip machine;

Fig. 4 is a view in end elevation of said device looking toward the right in Fig. 5:

Fig. 5 is a central vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. G;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

F ig.v 7 is a view in elevation of a portion of wire of which paper clipsare adapted to be constructed, a part of the said wire being notched and a part thereof being smooth or unnotched Fig. 8 is a top plan view of a paper clip constructed of wire upon themachine shown vin Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive; and

Fig. 9 is an edgeview looking toward the lower side of the clip shown in Fig. 8.

Referring to the drawings: l designates a post or standard and 2 a table supported thereon upon which the essential mechanism for the manufacture of paper clips or the like from wire is supported. y

The various elements or parts of the machine shown in Figs. l and 2 of the drawings, with the exception of the part illustrated in detail in Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive, will be referred to in a general way only because the said parts are old and well known in the art.

5 designates a roll of wire supported upon a horizontally extending bracket 6 which wire is adapted to he drawn olf and passed through the machine and cut into sections, which sections are bent to form paper clips. These paper clips may be of the type known as Gem clips, shown in Figs. 8 and 9, or may be of any other of the well known types of paper clips which are constructed of wire. The wire 7, after leaving the roll 5, is con ducted between the rollers of a device, as indicated at 8,'which operate to straighten the wire in known manner in one direction, the direction being in a. horizontal plane in the present construction. Fromthe straighten ing device shown at 8, in'which the wire is 30 ect upwardly. into the openings 18 in the straightened in a horizontal direction, the said wire .passes through an additional or sec,- ond straightening vdevice shown at by means'of which the wire is straightened in a direction at ri ht angles to the direction of straightening w ich is effected in the device After having passd through the straightening devices 8 and 10 secured tol the table support 2 of the machine the wire is passed through and subjected to the action of the f new and novel attachment invented by me .for providing notches in the opposite sides thereof.,A y I The said attachment comprises an integral metal block having a relatively wide basal Iportion 14 from which extends `upwardly what may be described as a projecting portion 15. The projecting portion 15 is situupon the fastening ated a distance from one edge of the basal portion l144 and the latter, adjacent the pro- Vjecting portion 15, is provided with a central openingl through which a screw bolt 17 extends, which bolt. engages the table support 2 whereby the said attachment is secured rigidly to the said table. In order to prevent the said attachment from turning screw bolt 17 a couple of pins are provide upon the upper side of the said table or support, which pins proasal portion 14 of the attachment u on opposite sides of the hole or opening t rough which the screw bolt 17 passesn said block and across the vertical slot 20.

The said block is also` provided with a horizontal slot 25 which extends parallel with the bottom thereof and the inner or rear end of` which tei'ininates in an enlar ed horizontally and transversely extending o ening 26 adjacent the rear end or edge of' the said block.

The upper portion of said block, sepa- 'rated from the main portion thereof by the horizontal slot 25, is also slotted, as indi- I. .cated at 30. The said slot 30 extends from the inner edge or bottom of the upper portion of the slot 20 to and through the rear edge of the portion of said block above the slot 25.

. The rear end ofthe slot 30 terminates in an enlarged opening at 31.

Itfwill be seen that the separate portions 32 and 33 of the block are connected with the main or bod portion thereof b relatively thin web-like connecting portions 34 which portions although quite rigid yet are yielding for the pur ose of effecting ad'ustment of the arm-li e portions 32 an 33 upon whichthe roller 21 is supported. I have provided Screw bolts 37 and 38 which passthrough openings within the arms 32, extendacross the portions of the slot 25 which separates the arms 32 and 33 from the main or body ortion of the block, and enter screw threa ed \openings in the said main orbody portion. By adjustin the said screw bolts inwardly and outwardy adj ustnient of the arm-like portions 32 and 33 maIy be effected. n

n order that in the operation of the maf chine there may be slight relative movement between the arms 32 and 33 and the basal portion of the integral block, I have introduced between the heads of the bolts 37 and 38 a washer 40 of suitable elastic yieldin material. In the construction as shown this washer consists ofja single sheet having openings therethrough adjacent its opposite ends through which the screw bolts 37 and 38 extend. It will be understood, however, that if preferred a couple of elastic sheets or washers may be' substituted for the single elastic sheet or block 40 A plate 41 of metal or other suitable material rests upon the block or sheet 40 of elastic material and interposed between the said plate and the heads of the bolts 37 and 38 are metal washers 43. It will be seen that the arms 32 and 33 are independently adjustable.

In the manufacture or construction of the rollers 21 and 22 there may be present slight eccentricity and a-lso in the manufactune of wire of the character employed in and for the manufacture of pa er clips of the Gem or other types it has een found to be inipracticable to prevent some variation in the diameter thereof, and it is for these reasons principally that the elastic block or sheet 40 of material is interposed between the arms 32 and 33 and the heads of the screw bolts 37 and 38. By reason of the presence of the block or sheet 40 of elastic material and the relatively thin web-like coniiectin portions 34 between the arms32 and 33 an the base portion of the said block the said arms are permitted to yield automatically, as it were, so as to accommodate the rollers 2l and 22 to the varying thickness of the wire as the same may be passed between the said rollers oi' to such eccentricities of the surfaces of the rollers as may be present.

In the construction as shown means is provided for pulling the wire 7 forward through the devices 8 and 10 'and the attachment comprising the rollers 21 and 22. If preferred, however, the said means may be situated intermediate the second straightenblock 50.

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ing device l() and the said attachment so that instead of pulling the wire through said at tachment it may be pushed throughV the same.

. The said means comprises a carrier block mounted upon guides 51 upon the table 2. Sliding movement of the block 50 is effected by means of an arm 52 having pivotal connection at 53 with the said block, which arm is connected at its outer end with a link 54; operated by means, not shown, for effecting reciprocating movement of the said Slidable The said block 50 is provided with a relatively stationary gripping jaw at 55 which is adapted to co-operate with a similar movable 'aw 56 secured to and carried by a lever 57 aving pivotal connection at 58 to the said block. 'Ihe said lever 57 terminates at its forward outer end with a laterally extending portion 6() which is provided with a roller 6l which is in engagement with a plate-like abutment 62 supported upon the upper ends of arms 63 pivoted at their lower ends upon the pivot projections 64 which eX- tends outwardly from a stationary bracket or projection 65. 4 The said plate 62 is adapted to be moved inwardly and outwardly; that is to say, oscillated, by means of a link G8 actuated by means, not shown.

In the operation of the machine the plate (i2 is oscillate'd as above' described. During the period or interval that the wire is being fed or moved forward in the machine the plate 62 presses against the roller G1 to force the lever 57 inwardly to cause the jaw 56 to be pressed toward the jaw 55 'so as to clamp against the wire 7 `While in this position i the slide block 50 is moved forward, or to- Alil ward the right in Fig. 1, the roller 6l at such time rolling along the inner side ot the plate 62. `When the block 50 has moved its predetermined distance toward the right the pressure of the plate G2 against the roller 61 is released and the block 50 is returned to its rear or initial position, the jaws 55 and 56 sliding along the wire 7 but without clamping the same. In order to insure that the wire 7 shall not be returned I have provided a clamping pin the inner end of which is adapted to project transversely of and into a quill 7l and to press against the wire during the time that the slide block v50 is being withdrawn or returned to its initial or rear position. The pin 70 is adapted to be pressed inwardly at such time by means of the 'contact of the inner end of the lever 72 against the outer end of said pin. The said lever is pivoted intermediate its ends and is actutiti ated by a link 73 having connection with its outerend. When the pressure of the lever 72 is relieved from the clamping pin 70 a spring 75 operates to move the said pin outwardly so as to relieve the pressure, thereof l against the wire 7.

A. lrnife is provided for severing the wire 7 at intervals so as to provide sections which are adapted to be bent by the mecha nism shown at into clips of the character shown at 86 in Figs and 9.

As above indicated, the clip shown is of the type known as the Gem clip, but it will be understood that my invention is applica ble to clips of other character and that any suitable `mechanism may be substituted for the mechanism shown at 85 which may be adapted for the bending and forming of theA severed sections of wire to form such other forms of clips as may be desired.

It will be understood that the distance between the rollers 21 and 22 is less than the thickness of the wire to be notched and that as theI wire is caused to pass between the same the said rollers are thereby caused to rotate and in rotating eifect the formation of notches corresponding to the ridges thereof upon opposite sides of the said wire. It may happen that in the passagey of the wire through the machine it will be caused to rotate to a greater or less extent in one directionor the other. Such rotation maybe prevented by adjusting the one or the other of the screw bolts 37 or 38, depending upon the direction in which the wire may be rotating.

It is of course desirable that means be provided for preventing rotation of the wire after it has been notched because in the manufacture of the clips it is necessary that the wire be held in such position that when it is bent the bends shall be in a direction between the planes of the rowsof notches, or in other words, at right angles tothe depth of the notches so that in the completed clips the notches shall occupy positions upon the opposite faces of the clips so that when the clips are placed in engagement with a number of sheets to be held together thereby the roughn ened surfaces thereof shall contact with and engage the outer sides of the sheets upon the outer or opposite sides of the package or bundle of sheets.

It will be seen that by my invention I have not only provided an attachment of novel construction adapted to be embodied in a paper clip machine and to cooperate with the wire ceding and bending mechanism of j such machine, but that I have also provided a paper clip machine of unitary construction in which the operative elements thereof' cooperate to produce clips of the character described; and also that in the formation of said clips the operation is continuous. It also will be seen that by my invention I have provided a new and novel method in which the wire of which the clips are to be formed is notched upon opposite sides alter which it is severed into sections which are bent in directions parallel with the planes in which the notches are situated or substantially at right angles to the depth of said notches.

Having thus described my invention what lll) ' j ering I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a machine for manufacturing paper clips, the combination of means for feeding a wire through the said machine, means including cooperative elements for forming notches in opposite sides of said wire throughout its entire length as it is fed through the machine, means foi' ladjusting said elements relatively to each other to prevent rotation of said wire, and means for sevportions of Said wire, and means for therea ter bending and formingsaid severed portions'into clips.

2. In a machine for manufacturing paper clips, the combination of means for feeding la wireI through the said machine step by step, means for preventing movement of said wire in reverse direction, means including cooperative knurled rollers for providing notches'inV said wire upon opposite sides thereof, bearings in which the opposite ends ofsaid rollersare mounted, means for cffecting relative adjustment of the said bearings and therollers supported thereby to prevent rotation of said wire` means for severing portions of said wire of appropriate l length, and means for bending and forming the said severed portions into paper clips.

3. In a machine for manufacturing paper clips, the combination of means for feeding a wire of cylindrical cross section therethrough, rotatable cooperative means for forming notches in opposite sides of said wire as it is fed therethrough, means for relatively adjusting the ends of said rotatable cooperative means with respect to each other for pre-venting rotation of said wire, means for severing portions of said wire, and means for forming the severed portions into clips. 4. In a machine for manufacturing paper clips, the combination of means for feeding a wire therethrough, rotatable rollers sitiiated in adjacent co-operative relation with respect to each other between which the said wire is adapted to be moved. the said rollers being provided with alternate ridges and notches whereby as the wire is .passed between the same notches are formed therein, means for effecting relative. adjustment of the ends of said rollers to vary the angular relation thereof to each other to prevent rotation of said wire. means for thereafter severing portions of said wire to appropriate length, and means for thereafter bending and forming said severed portions into paper cli s. In a machine for manufacturing paper clips, the combination of'ineans for feeding a. Vwire therethrough, rotatable rollers ben :tween which the said wire is adapted to pass, .the `said rollers being provided upon their surfaces'withnmeans whereby upon the passage of a wire between the samenotches areformed therein, means for e'ecting relative .wire in its passage through the adjustment between the ends of said rollers means for thereafter severin portions of said wire of a propriate lengi, and means for thereafter biending and forming said scvered portions into paper clips.

6. In a machine for manufacturing paper clips, the combination of means for feeding a wire therethrough, milled rotatable rollers between which said wire is adapted to be passed, the said rollers being situated in adjacent cooperative relation with respect to each other, the distance between the same being less than the diameter of the said wire whereby upon the passage of a wire between the same notches are formed therein, means whereby relative adjustment of the ends of said rollers may be effected so as to accommodate wires'of different diameter and so as to prevent rotation of said wires, means for severing portions of said wire of appropriate length, and means for thereafter fprmiiig said severed portions into paper c ips.

7. A machine for manufacturing aper clips, comprising means for rou hening a wire in its passage through the sai machine, which means includes a block having a basal portion and arms connected to the said basal portion by means of resilient integral portions, a couple of rotatable rollers, one of which is mounted upon the said basal portion and the other upon the said arms in adjacent oppositely disposed relation theneto, means for adjusting the said arms with respect to said basal portion, means for severing portions of said wire, and means for blending said severed portions to form said c ips.

8. A machine for manufacturing paper clips comprising -ineans for rougheiiing a wire in its passage through the said machine, which means includes a block having vertical and horizontal slots therein arranged substantially at right angles to each other. arms formed by the said slots, which arms are connected to the remaining portion of the said block by means of resilient integral connecting portions, rollers mounted in a forward enlarged portion of the vertical slot, one of which is supported upon the lower portion of said block and the other upon the said arms,I means for adjusting the said arms wit-h relation to the remaining portion of said block. compensating means associated Awith vsaid adjusting means` means for severing portions of said wire, and means for bending said severed portions to form said clips.

9. A machine for manufacturing paper clips, comprising means for roughening r said machine,'which means includes in combination -a block having adjustable arms, rollers, one vtif-which is mounted upon the said arms and the other of` which is mounted upon the remaining portion of said block, adjusting means for causmg ad]ustment between sait arms and the remaining portion of said block, elastic means interposed between the said ad'usting means and the said arms,

means or severing portions of said wire,

' and means for bending said severed portions to form .said clips.

l0. A machine for manufacturing papery clips, comprising means for roughenlng a wire in its passage through the said machine,l which means includes a block having horizontally and vertically'extending slots therein, the vertical slot terminating at its orward end in anenlarged portion, the said slots :forming arms which 'are connected at their rear ends by relatively thin elastic portions to the main or body portion of the said block, rotatable rollers mount/ed at the forward end of said block in the enlarged portion of the said vertical slot, the said rollers being "provided with means upon their surfacesv for roughening the opposite sides of a wire or the like passed between the same, headed screw bolts 4extending through the said arms and engaging the main or body portion ot the `said block for adjusting the said arms, elastic means interposed between the heads of said screw bolts and the said arms whereby the said arms may be moved relatively to the said bolts, means' for severing portions of said wire, and means for bendingr said severed portions to t'orm said clips.

11. The method of making paper clips of Wire which consists in passing the said wire between a couple of rollers, cau-sing the said rollers to exert yielding pressure against the oppositesides of said wire to form indentations therein, thereafter severing the said wire into sections of appropriate length and bending and forming said sections into paper clips.

12. A machine for manufacturing paper clips, comprising means for roughening the opposite sides of a wire which may be passed through the said machine and from which GEORGE F. GRIFFITHS. 

